Casually
by kNOrdinarylauren25
Summary: Another story for Alex and Jo! Hope you all enjoy!


_**Note from Me: This is just an idea that came to me. I promise it is going somewhere. **____** And to everyone following my other stories, I am working on those now. Sorry for such a delay. Real Life tried to get me down but I am up and I am ready to write about it ;) Hope you all enjoy!**_

"I don't know, Jo! Do you really think this is a good idea? I mean it has only been three months since Peckwell and just, I don't want you rushing into things okay?" Alex told Jo trying to let the hint of concern in his voice far out display the hint of jealousy he was trying to hide.

Alex had never admitted to Jo how he really felt about her after everything that happened with Peckwell. She had come to him as he friend, he had helped her through it as a friend, and they were still friends.

Alex still had so many insecurities when it came to relationships. It was rather easy for him to hook up with an intern, and attending, or any woman at the hospital, or any woman at the bar, or wherever. He knew that he was a male, a rather good looking one at that, and so he could simply have casual sex anytime he wanted.

But he could not just simply admit his feelings to his best friend, Jo Wilson. He had not chosen to have sex with anyone since these feelings for her developed and that was back before she ever even got involved with Peckwell.

And that just simply wasn't the casual Alex.

He cared about Jo like no other woman he had ever cared for. And before he had ever gotten the opportunity to admit his feelings to her, she had in one of their drunken nights give him a big speech about how she wanted to and was going to focus on her after everything that had happened with Peckwell.

And he totally understood that and he respected that and her even more for her not wanting to completely be dependent on having a man in her life.

But he was completely dependent on having her in his life. Jo had been living with him for three months straight. She even moved from the couch into her own room in which Alex had surprised her with one night when she came home and found not only it was waiting on her, but it had a big comfy bed for her as well.

He had used the excuse that he loved his couch in his living room and so not only did she need her own room, she needed her own bed. But he really just wanted her to feel like she was wanted and that she had a place to call home.

And although he knew he really wished above all else that they shared a bed, he would do anything for her because above all else she was simply his best friend.

And he would in fact do anything for her. They were together almost all the time. And yes she drove him absolutely crazy but it was the right kind of crazy.

Alex liked Jo's crazy.

And he hadn't confessed his love not only because of the fact that he was scared. But also because Jo had gave no inclinations that she looked at him other than a big brother and so he opted for the choice of being of her best friend instead of being her nothing at all.

He loved it. He loved every bit of her. He just wanted to love every single bit of her. They lived together so he had already seen her countless times with no pants on. But he was never brave enough to enter the bathroom while she was in there like all he and his many previous roommates used to do.

He wouldn't even go in there if she was in the shower. He knew he would be too tempted to jump in with her and never get out. He knew if he saw her naked once, that he'd never want to stop. And so he didn't even tempt the waters.

Best Friends! That's what he tried to tell himself, that they were just simply best friends. And he was going to be happy with that no matter what.

And above all else, it was usually just them, everywhere. So Alex never had to worry about her getting hurt by some douche at the bar because no guys had been hitting on her and although sometimes Jo in a drunken stupor would talk down about herself, saying that it was because she was probably crazy and whatever.

Alex knew better, he knew that not many guys were talking to her because they probably assumed he and Jo were together. And although it didn't bother him one bit because he wanted them to assume that, the main reason being that's what he wanted.

Alex knew Jo didn't assume any of that at all.

And Jo didn't…she didn't understand any of it one bit.

Jo was a woman falling in love with her guy best friend oblivious to the fact that she was falling in love with him too and so of course she wanted guys to hit on her.

She never cared to pay any of them attention while they were around but it was when she and Alex got home Jo would try and pout about how no guy stopped her for her number anymore, or asked her to dance, or even offered to buy her a drink.

Jo was oblivious to it all because she knew that Alex was simply her best friend. And so she didn't get it.

What she didn't seem to realize about her and Alex was that they really just portrayed a legit happy couple and so no one wanted to talk to her because of that being a main reason and more than that they didn't want to piss off Alex. And that went for the people that knew him and the ones who didn't.

Alex knew that Jo was starting to get lonely though. Shit, he had been lonely. Everyone longs to be in love and to have that like your taste in music, let you eat the last bite of cheesecake, hold a radio over your head, kind of relationship and although they had all of that to an outsider, they just didn't know they both had all of that on the inside.

And of course they just didn't have the sexual part that came along with it all.

Alex knew that both their bodies would eventually miss what they needed. He wanted to give her it all so bad but if only she wanted it all from him, which she obviously didn't, he thought.

Because Jo was getting ready to go out on her first date since Peckwell, her first date in three months, her first date since Alex had decided to keep his mouth shut about how he felt, and it was just simply her first real date.

And so of course he was jealous.

"Yes, I'm sure Alex. I've got to get myself back out there sometime. I can't be scared forever. Alex, you know what this step means for me and so yes, I'm sure." Jo protested "I wish you'd quit worrying about me so much."

And if there was one thing Jo was also good at it was driving him crazy. And he was good at driving her crazy. They fought a lot, about a lot, but they always made up. And usually they never had to make up. They were best friends and they would just brush it off and laugh about it later. But Alex couldn't help but feel they were about to start fighting.

"Jo, you know I worry about you. The last thing I want is for you to choose another Peckwell." He knew he said the wrong thing by the way she tilted her head and gave him her pissed off look that he'd come to know all too well.

"Are you saying that I'm dumb enough to choose another Peckwell? Or are you saying that only guys like Peckwell are the only ones that are going to want me at all?" she asked with a rather mixed expression of hurt, fear, and anger.

"Jo" he started "You know…"

"I don't get it Alex" she then cut him off. "I thought you'd be happy for me"

"I am happy for you" he lied. "I just…I worry about you okay."

"Well don't. I haven't had any nightmares in a long time now, Alex. And I'm ready for this. I need this. A woman has needs Alex, you know all about that. Even though, I haven't even seen you talk to any women recently, Maybe you should consider getting back on the saddle." She tried turning it from the fight that this was all about to quickly turn into in to what she hoped would be a conversation turner in hopes that she was lightening the mood.

Jo didn't understand what Alex's problem was. Three Months! Three months! She had been with him almost every waking moment and he had still yet to make a move on her. So not only did she really actually want to go on a real date, she was hoping Alex would realize that he was the one that she wanted taking her on a real date. And maybe even possibly stop her? She didn't know what she wanted but she knew the one thing she did want, she couldn't have.

"I'm not trying to ruin your night before he even gets here, Jo! I just want you to be aware of your surroundings. You barely even know this guy. And whatever, you're my best friend, I'm supposed to worry about you right?" he tried trying to lighten the conversation as well.

"Yea…best friends…they're supposed to worry" Jo reminded herself that he reminded her yet again.

They were constantly telling each other they were best friends. It was the truth. But Jo sometimes felt she told him that so she could try and convince herself that they were always going to be only best friends.

It's not that she wanted to go on this date particularly or any of the other ones that her few intern friends were trying to set her up on. It was just she wanted Alex but she knew it would never happen and so she continued to get ready for her date…like any normal girl would do.

"So which one do you think I should wear now, the black dress or the blue one?" Jo asked trying to be as excited as she possibly could. If she was going to go, she was damn sure going to have a good time.

"I don't know Jo" Alex tried not to care but he did so he continued with "The…black…no the blue…go with the blue one" he then decided quickly but not easily. He liked the black one best and although he knew she was going to look good in either one, he chose the blue one because he knew that she was just going to be too damn sexy in the black.

"I have to hurry, Alex. Seriously, which one?" she asked again as she contemplated the choices in her hand.

If they were going to be just simply best friends well she was going to start just simply being herself, not that she hadn't, but she was really about to just make it as casual as she could and so she didn't even give Alex a chance to reply.

"Whatever you wouldn't even know because you haven't seen me in either, here let me just show you so you can just pick one already. This is important Alex, I know you're a guy and whatever but you can't at least tell your "best friend" what dress makes her look the nicest." She tried to let the hint of sarcasm ring out in her voice but she knew he didn't get it.

So Jo ripped off what she was wearing right there in front of him and was just merely standing in her bra and panties just feet away from him.

Alex, momentarily stunned asked "Geez Jo, what are you doing?"

"What Alex, were grown, were friends, and we both know that. And you see me all the time with no pants on, how does no shirt really make that much of a difference. I have a bra on…just think of it as a bathing suit and help me zip this dress. You have to see them both before you can decide which one." She said going completely girl on him. And a friend that was a girl at that.

"Alright, whatever you say princess. Just come here" he retorted as he was already making his way to her to do just what she had asked.

He zipped up the back of the blue dress. And Jo then turned and twirled around in front of him. "So what do you think?" she asked him as her eyes glared with hope. She knew what she was hoping for but she still tried to ask as casually as she could.

Jo was absolutely taking his breath away but not only did he decide that she looked too damn good in the blue but he just…kind of, no of course he was…wanting to now see her strip down in front of him… and so he decided to tell her to try on the black one.

Alex sat on the edge of Jo's bed as she backed her way over to him and told him to unzip her dress so she could try on the next one.

Alex stood and their bodies were so close. She smelled so damn good and he couldn't help but want to breathe her in as long as he could.

He placed his hand on Jo's shoulder and she let out a gasp that she hoped he didn't hear. He unzipped her dress and he watched as she let it fall to the ground. She turned around to face him and he was still standing just inches away from her body with his on. And she was half-naked.

Alex had never in his life not jumped at the opportunity to touch/want/be with any naked girl within his visual perimeter let alone standing right in front of him.

All Alex could think about is how scared he in fact actually was. Why couldn't he just pull her in a kiss her right there? He was just so damn scared.

That's all Jo could think about is how scared she in fact actually was. Why couldn't she just pull him in a kiss him right there? She was just so damn scared.

She was standing right there in front of him and he wasn't even thinking about her in the same way she was feeling, as far as she could tell anyway.

And that's when she knew that Alex would really only ever like her as a friend. It was Alex we were talking about and he wasn't even jumping at the opportunity she was so clearly but casually trying to give him.

Not that she would have just gave in but damn he was a guy. Wasn't he at least supposed to maybe even fantasize about wanting her? None of it made sense to Jo, she just simply took it as they were always going to and supposed to be only friends and so she spoke up.

"Will you hand me the black one behind you please?" but it was barely a whisper.

Alex stood there contemplating wrapping her in his arms the entire damn time and he still couldn't admit that it was just him not having the balls to say let alone do anything at all.

And so he took what she said as a sign that she was now uncomfortable, which she was just not in the way he thought, but he went with what his head was telling him and just simply handed her dress.

She slipped it on and twirled once more trying to loosen the tension she knew she had been building inside herself at least and so she asked "So…which one?"

She was absolutely breath taking in either one and Alex couldn't help but kick himself for the fact that she was about to leave his house, their house, with another man dressed like that. It should be them going out, Alex damned the situation and he cursed himself more for knowing that he knew that she was in fact about to go on a date and he wasn't doing anything to stop it.

Or he hadn't done anything yet anyway. He didn't really plan on anything happening but in the back of his mind he was hoping that anything could happen before she walked out that door.

But nothing had happened yet and Alex could feel his heart fall out of his chest when he then heard the doorbell ring.

"Alex?" Jo whined but in a way he couldn't help but be amused by.

And so he smirked at her and said in such a jealous guy way that was trying to pretend not to be jealous said "I don't know Jo, they both look fine." And then he went down to answer the door.

"Fine" Jo questioned if she really just heard him say that. She didn't want to look fine. She wanted to look great. Or at least damn fine or even better damn great, she mused thinking about what she thought was just Alex's typical guy response.

And as much she loved the way he drove her crazy, she laughed at herself by telling herself that Alex just proved she did in fact need a girlfriend.

If only she knew what Alex was thinking as he made his way down the stairs.

As Alex made his way down the stairs, He knew Jo was now probably currently smirking in laughter at him.

But he didn't say what he had because either dress was just fine. He said what he said because she looked to damn fine in either one of them and so he didn't want her wearing either one of them. And he figured if he would've went with anything other than fine, his luck, and she would come out looking more sexy than he ever even imagined possible, if that was even possible, he then debated.

Either way, it was a total lose-lose situation for him and so he just said to say something at all and get it over with. And he didn't even give her time to make fun of him or say anything about the fact that he was answering the door for her date because he was anticipating seeing what this guy was about and so he basically went from the top of the stairs to the bottom within just one step.

Jo was still in her room debating now if she should wear either of the two dresses at all. She didn't know Alex would want to answer the door but she certainly didn't stop him because she hoped that he would realize that this shit was legit and that he was giving her an opportunity, that she didn't necessarily want, to be happy with someone other than him.

She didn't get why he couldn't see that she had been waiting patiently on him to wake up and realize that they in fact could make this work.

Or at least she thought they could. But she had also been doing a lot of feeling sorry for herself and so she embedded it into her brain that as much as she hoped her and Alex could be, they never would be because Alex was clearly and really rather blatantly about the fact that he showed no romantic interest in her whatsoever.

She then had to wonder what Alex could possibly be saying to her date. And she couldn't help but laugh at the irony of her current situation. She knew what she really wanted. But she knew what she really needed as well. She simply wanted/needed to feel that chemistry that two people feel when they have that romantic connection. She basically wanted to feel needed. She wanted to feel loved.

She didn't really care about just the sex. Yes, it was a part of what she wanted/needed. But it was also just the feeling of having someone.

Who doesn't want/need/miss that when they don't have it? Jo asked herself.

She didn't feel like a whore. She had just been waiting on Alex to come around for Months and he still hadn't. And she didn't understand why. After everything that happened with Peckwell, she didn't want to ever just randomly date again but after Months? She knew she had to get herself back out there. She had needed/wanted to do anything at that point other than pine after Alex who she knew she'd never be anything other than friends with.

Jo stepped closer to the door with both dresses in hand along with a third and a fourth one and she listened intently to hear whatever it was Alex was possibly going to say.


End file.
